People such as researchers and students, as well as others, have long had the need to search through vast quantities of various publications and other collections of information. For many years, such a process was done manually. With the advent of the computer, people were able to conduct searches of databases stored in a computer. Further, with the advent of the internet, people were able to perform such searches from a remote location via a personal computer.
However, searching of databases is a skill with which many people have difficulty. Selection of search terms is extremely important in arriving at the desired search results. All too often, searchers fail in selecting appropriate search terms for the desired or intended results, and the search results end up being far off topic or full of irrelevant search results.
Further, different databases use different programs and/or controlled vocabularies for searching the databases, which leads to a lack of uniformity in conducting searches. While a certain search technique may be appropriate for one database, the same technique may be inappropriate for another database. This is especially true where search terms can include the use of numerous different search commands. Thus, searchers often struggle with conducting a meaningful search of a particular database.
Various methods and systems have been used for searching databases in an attempt to assist the searcher and provide improved search results. The following is a discussion of several of these known methods and systems.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,772,150 discloses a search query refinement system that uses information about historical query submissions to suggest previously submitted, related search phrases to users. The related search phrases can be scored and selected for display based in part on an evaluation of the usefulness of each search phrase.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,732,088 discloses a method and system for collaborative searching by query induction wherein a node-link graph is constructed. Each node represents a query, and the nodes are linked based upon relatedness of the search results. Users can the follow these links to related documents that were not returned as a result of their query.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,704,727 discloses a method and system for generating a set of search terms. In response to a user's input, a first set of search terms are generated based upon matches or predefined associations between the input and the search terms. A second set of search terms is selected from the first set of search terms in response to a value score, which is related to the amount of revenue that each search term generates.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,671,681 discloses a system and method for suggesting alternative query expressions based on prior user selections and their query strings. A query manager monitors and records user choices and selections. Query strings are then standardized. Each search result item is associated with a list of alternative standardized queries by an alternative query matching manager, and displayed to a user by a page presentation manager.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,574,622 discloses a method and system for document retrieval wherein a user's query is expanded based upon estimated relational representations, and a group of query candidate representations are made and presented to the user. The user then selects the desired query candidate representation and a search is performed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,549,941 discloses a method and system for resubmitting form data to related web sites, wherein after a user submits a query to a search engine of one web site, the user has the option to submit the same query to the search engines of one or more related web sites without the need to re-enter data.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,523,028 discloses a method and system for universal querying of distributed databases, wherein a user's query is generalized to expand the query. The user then selects terms from the expanded query, and a pictorial query is generated by searching a directory for database tables and/or attributes matching the selected terms. Finally, an SQL query is generated to retrieve relevant data from the actual distributed databases.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,453,312 discloses a system and method for developing a selectably-expandable concept-based search, wherein query development is performed using a hierarchical concept tree. The nodes of the concept tree are concepts that describe various search topics. The query is developed by traversing the hierarchical tree structure to selectively add character strings, related to a concept node, to a potential query.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,169,986 discloses a system and method for refining search queries, wherein query term correlation data is used to generate related terms which are suggested to a user, allowing the user to refine a search. Each related term is presented to the user via a respective hyperlink which can be selected by the user to submit a modified query.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,014,665 discloses a method for organizing information in which the search activity of users is monitored and such activity is used to suggest additional key terms for addition to a search query. Scores are assigned to key term grouping in an index, and used in subsequent searches to suggest other key terms which can be added to the search query to narrow the search.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2004/0249808 discloses a method and system for query expansion using query logs. A query related to an input query is selected from a query log. The selected query from the query log is submitted to a query processing system in place of the input query.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2004/0078214 discloses a method and system of providing product listing recommendations to users of a network-based commerce system having a plurality of listings arranged in a plurality of divisions. Based on user interaction with the system, a division and a frequently used search term are identified, and a link is provided to the user to listings associated with the frequently used search term.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2003/0225756 discloses a system and method for internet search using controlled vocabulary data, wherein a search query is formed by combining terms selected from a controlled vocabulary display program, and related terms retrieved by a filter means selected by a user.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2003/0088547 discloses a method and system for providing comprehensive search results wherein key terms of the query are identified and expanded to include additional terms relating to the key terms.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2003/0037050 discloses a system and method for predicting additional search results for a user based on the initial search query. Terms in an anticipated search term database, and documents in a document database, are assign a topical category, which is referenced to related categories. The initial search term is located in the anticipated search term database to determine the topical category. Documents which have been assigned to that topical category, as well as any related topical categories are retrieved.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2002/0059220 discloses an intelligent computerized search engine which identifies descriptions from a subject database that are conceptually similar to the target input string, using semantic relationships and contextual significance. The input phrase is supplemented with semantically related terms that express the meaning of the request more fully in the context of the database.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2002/0049781 discloses a method and system for serving a web page to a client device based on printed publications and publisher controlled links. The system generates a search index and a hyperlink database associated with a plurality of printed publications from different publishers. The system is then able to direct client devices to specific web pages in response to search queries, by correlating the received queries to network addresses using the search index and the hyperlink database.
While some of these known methods and systems have had some success in achieving the specific functions enumerated therein, they fall short in many respects in providing the users with enhanced search results, and helping the users to focus or narrow the search, especially with respect to searching databases related generally to publications and other collections of information.
Accordingly, there is a need in the database searching industry for an improved searching method and system, which is fast and easy to use, and which provides enhanced search results while helping to narrow or focus the search, yet remains flexible and selective. The present disclosure fulfills such a need, and provides numerous other benefits and advantages with respect to methods and systems from searching databases.